All Hail The Pope - Chapter One
by EvaPopetteFan
Summary: This is a diary entry from Rachael Mason on her first day as acting head at Waterloo Road Comprehensive School.


Dear Diary. The time has come. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I am going in with many ideas and objectives to turn this school around for the better. I am going to 'Give my all to this school, however long I stay.' I am taking over from Jack Rimmer, I don't really know much about his work, all I know is he couldn't cope, the reason to this is unclear to me. I might meet my match with these children and this school but I am going to do right by them and put all my effort in to making this place work. Let's get stuck in, I forgot to say, pleased to meet you, I am the new Head Teacher of Waterloo Road, Rachel Mason.

As I walked in to the my new home, the office of Waterloo Road as executive head to meet my new deputy and partner, working partner not sexual, cheeky, Eddie Lawson with the LEA board of Governors reprehensive, Rea Cheatham. As myself and Rea sat there giggling amongst ourselves a tall, dark haired (going grey) authoritative figure walked through the office door with I must say bleak look of confusing emotion on his face. As he stood towering above me, I stood up to great him, as Rea introduced us to one another. We were now stood opposite each other, gazing in to each other's eyes. He had warm, kind brown eyes, it was like looking in to a void of darkness. I was trying to read him. As Rea introduced us to one another I looked at her as she responded to Eddie's previous comment 'Rea, sorry I am late.' With which she replied, 'This is Rachael Mason.' Eddie's arm stretched out in front of him to meet my hand, our eyes still intensely gazed at each other, and it was like nothing else in the room seemed to matter. Eddie's eyes twitched as our gaze everted for nothing more than half a second as he formally presented himself, "Eddie Lawson, Hi." As our hands parted away from one another, Rea's calm mellow voice spoke softly "Rachel's the new head teacher." His head turned to Rea and spoke in a muddled and questioning tone, "Sorry?" Eddie's face dropped, as he stared back at me in a disapproving way. I then glanced at Rea and I awkwardly responded, "Of Waterloo Road …" Eddie's eyes filled up with furry as he gazed around the room, avoiding any eye contact with both Rea and myself. The awkward silence was then broken when Rea responded to with "She's taking over from Jack." You could not cut the tension with a knife, the atmosphere was heating up and I felt so out of place, I soon became aware that Eddie had not been consulted in this change, I decided to take it upon myself to explain the situation as best as I could. Looking at Rea I confirmed via facial expressions I was going to address this situation. I then looked back at Eddie, trying to amend this messy situation I was now caught in due to poor communication via the LEA and Waterloo Road Comprehensive School. Taking a deep breath, I began to punctuate my sentence, "Rea has spoken really highly of you, I'm glad to have you as my deputy." To which a sarcastic facial expression covered his face. I feel incredibly awkward stood opposite a man who either has little faith in my ability to run a school or is vastly jealous, I'm not quite sure which. I make my way over to the desk and pull out my files and papers ready to discuss my plans with Eddie about the day to day running of the school. Rea begins to walk to the door as Eddie followers her, pulling her to one side out of my view, as he speaks to her. I feel extremely uncomfortable but I am not going to let anyone or anything ruin my plans for this school. Eddie bellows "Rea." across the office as I prepare myself for the day ahead. I here mumbling from Rea and Eddie as I am only a few paces away from them. Eddie says "I, just, Nigel as good as told me that I'd be acting head." To which I saw Rea looked in my direction, what I could see she was looking at me, out of the corner of my eye I saw her smile as she spoke confidently, "Sorry Eddie, LEA decision, Rachel is going to see this term and next term out." I felt at peace to know that someone of such authority had a positive outlook over my job role and knew I was cut out for the role of acting head. I looked up to say goodbye to Rea, seeing Eddies eyes gazing back at me with much disgust and disappointment, I saw him in a whole new light. Our eyes were still firmly locked when Rea looked over and smiled as she confidently responded "She is going to see this term and next term out." Eddie's eyes rolling around all over the shot. Rea then left, leaving me alone with this man I knew nothing about. How would he react? I was beholding down at my paper work as a voice hollered "So, these plans of yours, care to expand?" I did not feel at all threatened, I'd been in tougher fixes than this. I was prepared. I handed him a large file confidently, as this large folder exchanged hands I said, "It's all in here." I knew exactly what he was trying to do and why he was trying to do it, he was one of those jealous types, that what I can understand of the situation and it seemed like because he thought I was a women I couldn't handle myself and I would shire away from the situation. I began to tell him my plans, "As of today, I will be changing the curriculum. In 5 weeks, Waterloo Road will have business and college enterprise status, in 12 months, this place will be transformed. Vocational courses, specialized staff, ICT infrastructure, dedicated facilities and an extended schools." His facial expressions were nothing more than judgmental. Eddies eyes rolling every time I looked up to make eye contact. Then he spoke, would he agree to my plans or was he just going to slate them because he was jealous? "Hang on a minute, where is the money coming from to pay for all of this?" Eddie said, all that was going through my mind was it this it? Is this supposed to make me shire away from the job, was this supposed to be intimidating? I couldn't help but giggle to myself, I lightly said, "Oh, I wouldn't have promised the job without hard cash. As the day went on I realised how hard it was going to be to turn this school around.


End file.
